Message from the Manager: Ryan Reeves
One of the best mentors I’ve ever had in aviation once told me that airports are singularly unique in the human experience for two reasons. The first reason is that they are only real estate in most towns or cities where humans leave the planet at will. The second reason is those departures from terra firma require an astounding amount of both infrastructure, support, and services to make the flights possible. And he would always add, “You’ve got to have the work on the ground to get to the sky.”
In this edition of the Airport Newsletter, I’d like to shed some light on our recent and upcoming “work on the ground” aimed at getting skyward easier at CHD.
Airport Days Open House
In January, you helped us host our first Airport Days Open House in seven years. On behalf of everyone on the Airport staff, the city, and the residents who attended, I cannot thank you all enough for the amazing support, time, and dedication you offered to make the day a success. We had estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 people were likely to attend. By the end of the day, conservative estimates placed attendance above 10,000 people. Whether you donated your aircraft and time to the day or simply told someone to come see their local airport, we made a great deal of amazing memories that day and showed our city what makes aviation so special.
As we look to the end of the summer, not only do we have cooler temperatures on the horizon, but many exciting projects for the Airport
Operational Counts
As you’ve all experienced, it’s been an eventful year for Chandler Municipal Airport.
By the end of June, operational counts peaked beyond 250,000 takeoffs and landings, our busiest year since 2008. But it hasn’t just been operations where we’ve been busy.
Wildlife Incursions
If you’ve noticed fewer wildlife incursions into the movement areas, particularly coyotes, it’s thanks to the ADOT grant-funded Wildlife Perimeter Fence we completed this year. The $1M+ grant provided subterranean barriers, new fencing, and improved gate infrastructure throughout the Airport to ensure wildlife finds it nearly impossible to gain access to the Airport.
Since the completion of the project, our frequent coyote visitors have not been able to wander our runways.
REIL Installation
The coming months will also see the installation of REILs to both thresholds of RWY 4L-22R.
Once installed, we intend to leave the REILs illuminated ‘round-the-clock, just as we now do on RWY 4R-22L, to help reduce the possibility of wrong-surface landings, which are still nationally on the rise.
Hotspot
I’m also very happy to announce that the “hotspot” at the TWY-N Loop will soon be a thing of the past. Thanks to another 100% ADOT-funded grant, we are now nearing the end of design for extending Taxiway B to TWY-L.
If you exit RWY 22L in November, you will soon have the option to taxi on Bravo to Lima and not have to use RWY 22R. Expect to hear more on this project in the coming months.
AWOS Replacement
Another project currently waiting on delivery is a replacement of the AWOS equipment.
While the equipment is working well, it is approaching the end of its service life, and we want to proactively replace the sensors prior to any failures or parts scarcity.
The replacement should only see the AWOS out of service for a matter of days.
Infrastructure Updates
As for existing infrastructure, Airport staff will soon contact many of you in the hangars and on the eastern ramp spaces. Council has approved funding for additional crack-sealing and pavement maintenance of the eastern ramp area which is already underway. These projects range from simple preventative maintenance to complete pavement reconstruction.
If you are a tiedown tenant, staff has already contacted you regarding crack sealing at your tiedown. We are phasing the project to allow for minimal operational impact, and Operations staff habe coordinated as convenient dates as possible with each of you. If we need to relocate your aircraft for the 8-hour period required to cure the sealant, staff will arrange an alternate parking space for that day.
If you are one of the city hangar tenants, we have some very exciting news regarding all of the hangar area pavement adjacent to Hangar Row A through L. Thanks to additional funding from the ADOT Aeronautics Department received last year for crack and pavement sealing of Runway 4L-22R and Taxiway A & B, staff was able to dedicate local funding to conduct engineering studies of the city’s hangar area pavements to address concerns expressed by our tenants.
Engineering Study
The engineering study found that a full pavement reconstruction project is warranted, and Council has dedicated $4 million to begin Phase I of the reconstruction to begin later this year. This will not only provide new pavement throughout the city hangar taxi lanes but will incorporate new drainage grading and infrastructure to address stormwater intrusion into the hangars.
Phase I will address the pavement adjacent to the hangars on the southern half of the city hangars. Phase II, which will start sometime after June 2025, will dedicate an additional $3 million to complete a full reconstruction on the northern half. We’ve provided a graphic (at left) for your reference.
Obviously, this project will greatly affect our tenants, and we are currently in the planning stages for phasing the project to minimize operational impacts. Once we have firmer mobilization and supply dates, we email all tenants dates and details of the project, as well as host advisory briefings throughout the project.
And finally, you will soon see a lighting project begin on Taxiway Charlie. We are replacing the existing conduits and lights as they have reached the end of their service life. This should have minimal operational impacts. Just as with all Airport projects, we will contact you via email blasts and physical postings throughout the facility.
Cleanup of the former K & K crop-dusting site
The largest and most visible project, of course, is the cleanup of the former K & K crop-dusting site midfield on our southern perimeter. The site was the location of the first hangars and flight operations for CHD beginning in 1948 and will one day soon be the site of new aviation development. To get there, however, we must remediate the environmental hazards left in the soil from the decades of spraying operations there. The 16+ acres to be treated will all be completed on-site, and we are scheduled to complete the cleanup by November of this year.
Get UpdatesIf you’re not on our email list, be sure to let Airport staff know and we will add you to the distribution list. As always, if you have any questions regarding the projects underway, upcoming, or ideas for more, please drop the office and see us. We always like hearing your feedback and ideas. Or just drop by if you simply feel like hangar-flying a little. There’s always time for flying stories. |